Published 11:39 pm, Saturday, February 22, 2014

When constant penalties interrupt that flow, though, it's a different game, with different combinations and a different pace.

"(The penalty killers) did a huge job there," said Sundstrom, who has eased back into that role at times after a two-month layoff due to illness. "The lines, when it's not flowing, it's frustrating sometimes, but it's the game. You handle it and move on."

Aaron Ness' goal on a late-developing three-on-two turned out to be the winner with 10:39 to play in a game that included 16 power plays at Wells Fargo Center, an NHL-arena game with the Phantoms' parent club, the Flyers, still on the Olympic break.

Bridgeport faced 10 of those 16 power plays and killed nine, victimized only on a five-on-three that gave Adirondack a 2-1 lead 1:35 into the third period.

Scooter Vaughan and Chris Langkow combined for a Langkow goal on a short-handed two-on-one 22 seconds later to tie it.

"We respond well when we get scored on," Ness said. "We're going to win a lot of games if we can do that, kill a lot of momentum for other teams." Bridgeport has won 10 of its last 12 games, getting back to .500 with 23 games to go.

It's been a mountain to climb, with young players making progress and different combinations because of injuries, illness and call-ups, but they've continued to win through February.

Sundstrom scored the first goal with assists from newcomers Joel Broda and Matthew Pistilli. After Nick Cousins scored from the right circle and Chris VandeVelde got that five-on-three goal, Langkow tied it driving to the net.

Then Ness jumped into the play on the left side to make it a three-on-two rush. He one-timed Andrew Clark's feed off goalie Carsen Chubak and in with teammates driving to the net.

"Clarky made a heck of a pass," Ness said.

"We'd kind of focused for a while on jumping in. It's tough for the defense when there's a second attack, a second layer."

Attendance was 17,585 in the NHL building, the largest announced crowd ever to see a Bridgeport game. That mark had been 16,297 at a sold-out Nassau Coliseum during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Providence won 4-3 in a shootout Saturday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. ¦ The Bruins are 6-0-0-1 in the past seven. ¦This begins a home-and-home and ends the season series between the two teams. ¦ D Mike Moore is 4-2-6 in a six-game scoring streak. ¦ G Niklas Svedberg has won four in a row. G Malcolm Subban is 5-0-1 in his past six games (dating to Jan. 3).

ABOUT THE SOUND TIGERS: Bridgeport's 3-2 win over Adirondack on Saturday got the team back to AHL-.500 for the first time since it was 1-1. ¦ The Sound Tigers have won 10 out of the past 12. ¦ G Anders Nilsson has started the past eight games and won five in a row. ¦ C Joel Broda is 1-1-2 in his first two games with Bridgeport. RW Matthew Pistilli is 1-2-3 in the past three.